Focus: Telecom

    [11-13-07 – Satellite Today] Orbital Sciences Corp. received a contract from the Rochester Genesee Regional Transportation Authority to outfit more than 300 public vehicles with a satellite-based management system, the company announced Nov. 12.     Under the $15 million contract, Orbital will install its OrbCAD system, an integrated software system that uses satellite-delivered positioning...

[11-12-07 – Satellite Today] Integral Systems Europe received a contract from RascomStar-QAF to provide a fully integrated carrier signal monitoring and transponder planning system for the Rascom-QAF 1 satellite, parent company Integral Systems Inc. announced Nov. 12. This initial system consists of a main site in Cameroon that will use SAT Corp.’s Monics carrier monitoring...

[11-12-07 – Satellite Today] EchoStar Communications Corp. reported revenues of $2.8 billion for the 2007 third quarter, a 12.9 percent increase compared with revenue $2.5 billion in the same period in 2006, the company announced. Net income totaled $200 million for the quarter that closed Sept. 30, up from earnings of $140 million a year...

[11-12-07 – Satellite Today] Space Exploration Technologies Corp. (SpaceX) has completed development of its Merlin 1C next generation liquid fueled rocket booster engine, the company announced Sept. 12. The Merlin 1C is an improved version of the Merlin 1A ablatively cooled engine, which has been used in a pair of Falcon 1 launches. The Merlin...

[11-12-07 – Satellite Today] The final Defense Support Program (DSP) satellite was placed into orbit Nov. 10 by a Boeing Delta 4 launch vehicle, satellite manufacturer Northrop Grumman announced. DSP 23, built for the U.S. Air Force Space and Missile System Center, will provide warnings of tactical and strategic missile launches, nuclear detonations and other...

[11-12-07 – Satellite Today] Gilat Satellite Networks Ltd. has unveiled its SkyEdge 2, an advanced VSAT platform based on next-generation technology, the company announced Nov. 12. The system can provide inbound data rates of up to 4 megabits per second (Mbps) and can support small networks that require as little as 500 kilohertz as well...

[11-09-07 – Satellite Today] Inmarsat has launched its new maritime satellite communications service, FleetPhone, the company announced Nov. 9.      FleetPhone is the maritime version of Inmarsat’s IsatPhone and LandPhone satellite phone services and is commercially available for use in the South China Sea and Indian Ocean region. The satellite phone service portfolio is available...

[11-08-07 – Satellite News] DirecTV, the U.S. satellite pay-TV operator, issued a strong set of third quarter results, which largely were ahead of analyst forecasts. Spencer Wang, a satellite equity analyst at Bear Stearns commented in a research note, “Direct TV reported third quarter operational metrics that were generally stronger than expected (including net adds...

[11-08-07 – Satellite Today] Telenor Satellite Broadcasting (TSB) said Nov. 8 that its Thor 5 satellite is likely to be launched Feb. 7. Thor 5 is Telenor’s first satellite in its replacement and expansion program. TSB has had to wait for a new launch date as a result of the JSAT launch failure in September....

[11-08-07 – Satellite Today] Inmarsat-sponsored aid agency Télécoms San Frontières (TSF) is ready to use satellite technology to help in flood hit Mexico, the agency announced Nov. 7. With more than one million people already seriously affected and most of the state of Tabasco under water, TSF has deployed a crew to support the United...